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“I absolutely loved working with Katherine! It was not a difficult decision to choose her to be our officiant. She was always very quick to respond to any e-mails I sent her and helped tremendously with certain ideas that I wanted to incorporate into the ceremony. I felt extremely comfortable with her and would choose her a thousand times over to marry us!” ~K&K, November 2015

“There are not enough words in the dictionary to thank Katherine for everything that she did for us. I am speechless. It was everything I could ever have hoped for and more. We had a change of officiant at the last minute and we are SO lucky that Katherine was put in our lives at the right place and the right time. We got so many compliments on the ceremony during the reception and the whole Sunday following our wedding that we spent with our family. Everyone was beyond impressed, especially after learning about the short notice. I had comments on every single piece of it… from the unplugged statement to the “taking it all in” piece at the end. While we worked with a ton of amazing vendors for our wedding, there is not a single vendor that I would give a stronger recommendation to than Katherine. She truly made our wedding day unbelievable. Don’t think twice before you book her services… you won’t regret it.” S&R, October 2015

“Katherine Edwards was such a pleasure to work with. We met her at a local coffee shop, and right off the bat she was warm, friendly, and we felt like we had known her forever. She is professional, responsive, and accommodating to all of our requests. We wanted repeat-after-me vows and a simple yet sweet ceremony, and the options she provided us with were easily customizable with lots of beautiful options. Our ceremony was 13 minutes long from start to finish, and our guests complimented the beautiful ceremony all night long. Katherine was easily one of our favorite vendors to work with, and I would highly reccomend her to anyone getting married in NC!” K&C, October 2015

“Let me first start off by saying that Katherine was absolutely amazing! She is highly professional and helped us create a completely personalized ceremony. We were able to change everything from the welcome to our vows and so much more. With her help, we were able to incorporate our personalities and style into each aspect. She made all of our guests feel welcome into our ceremony as my husband and I come from different religious and spiritual backgrounds. After the amazing experience wirh Katherine, we wouldn’t have wanted anyone else performing our ceremony! I highly recommend her to all of my recently engaged friends!” M&R, January 2015

“I can not say enough about Katherine Edwards…She was nothing short of perfect. She was prompt…responsive…affordable…organized…creative…prepared…an absolute dream to work with and that’s saying a lot since most of my experiences during this journey from single to married have left a lot to be desired. I would recommend her to absolutely anybody…She is easy to talk to and you’ll feel like she’s a friend by the end. If you are in an interracial relationship like I am (my husband is white and I’m black) it’s especially important to pick someone who will make both sides feel welcome and comfortable and she did just that. You will not regret hiring her.” S&C, December 2014

“Katherine was the perfect officiate for our wedding. Rob and I met with several officiates and when we met Katherine we knew we no longer had to look any further. She was professional, personable and clicked with us immediately. She is highly organized and helped us through the process of helping us with our ceremony. She performed a beautiful ceremony for us and we felt like we’ve know her for years. I would highly recommend Katherine without any hesitation.” R&K, December 2014

“Katherine was awesome to work with and very helpful” T&J, October 2014

“What a treat it was to work with Katherine, from the first meeting to the big hug after the ceremony. Katherine is warm, professional, personable and felt like a match for us right away. Her website sold me initially – the amount of information she provides about not only her services, but getting married in North Carolina, is incredibly helpful. We were also drawn to her openness and the variety of ceremonies she offered. We chose a package where we pieced together our ceremony from text options she provided. She sent a great document of options ranging from very religious to very not religious, with a great mix in between. We were able to create a ceremony that was truly our own using Katherine’s material. She was so easy to work with over email, offering helpful suggestions, providing drafts, and responding so quickly. On the wedding day, she nailed the ceremony. What a beautiful presenter and officiant she is – her calm and friendly energy put me right at ease on the big day! Without rushing us at all, she finished our rooftop ceremony and pronounced us married about 4 seconds before it started raining.

We also hired Katherine to coordinate our rehearsal the night before- with 10 attendants, parents and ourselves, it was SO nice to hand over the responsibility of directing! Katherine quickly and efficiently ran through everything with us and by the end, everyone felt confident in their roles and cues. She took care of filing our marriage certificate and sent us a follow up email with tracking number on Monday morning.

Working with Katherine was one of the best decisions we made in the wedding planning process. I would (and will) recommend her to absolutely any couple looking for an officiant. Katherine is the type of person that I imagine can connect with the widest variety of people. She is so flexible, transparent, genuine, professional and knowledgable. Our wedding would not have been the same without her!” K&J, October 2014

“Katherine made our wedding ceremony so personal and so special. Upon meeting her, we both knew that she was perfect for us. She took extra time to get to know both of us and her wording of the ceremony was excellent and so meaningful! Our guests were also very impressed with her. Thanks to her, the ceremony went very smoothly and she helped to capture the atmosphere that we wanted. She also helped us with finding the perfect musicians and venue! Thank you Katherine!” C&G, October 2014

“I wish I could give Katherine higher reviews! I met her online as I started planning my out of state wedding sometime last year. I had no idea where to start or what to do and she swooped in and made everything alright. A couple months ago my fiance and I talked about changing the date because of an employment opportunity. We lost Katherine as our officiant as the date was filled very quickly. When we decided to change the date back, and realized we could no longer have her marry us, i was devastated. She was the only person for the job! I felt like the person that was going to marry us, had to connect with us. Beings how we were out of state, I looked for another officiant and Katherine helped me. But no one compared! We decided to change the date to the next day so Katherine could be that person! When I met Katherine in person for the first time at the wedding, I felt like I had known her for years. After all, we had been emailing atleast weekly for the past year or so!! If you’re looking for someone with a good sense of humor, professionalism, and knowledge about weddings she is definitely the person you need to hire. I could not be happier with her services. I truly felt like I made a friend in Katherine! She made our wedding perfect! Thank you so much for all of your help, Katherine!” JL, September 2014

“There needs to be a higher rating than 5 on here. Katherine was/is awesome! She made the process so simple, easy, and most importantly stress free! Her vow/ceremony selections are beautifully written and her flexibility to provide a customized experience for you and your fiancee’s needs is impeccable. She is as hands on or off as you want her to be and she will truly make your day even more special than it already is but she also provides a warm heartfelt atmosphere as you can truly tell she cares about you and making your day memorable and exactly how you want it to be. Out of all the chaos of wedding planning her positivity and flexibility made the officiant and vow/ceremony selection one of the most fun and easiest tasks to mark off our list. Thank you Katherine for making our wedding day (9-13-14) amazing!” JH, September 2014

“We absolutely LOVED Katherine Edwards! She was so personable and flexible with our schedules. She did a wonderful job with officiating our wedding and the wording of the ceremony was beautiful! I would recommend her to anyone who is looking for an officiant for their wedding that adds a classy personal touch :)” EJ, August 2014

“Katherine was a joy to work with and she made our day a special one. She was very responsive to every email and on time (early) to each meeting, rehearsal and wedding! She was very professional and easy to work with! We received so many compliments on the service she gave! Katherine is truly a wonderful officiant and we will definitely use/recommend her in the future!” NC, August 2014

“After a very frustrating search for an officiant, we were so relieved, delighted, and fortunate that we found Rev. Katherine Edwards.
We had met and emailed with others, but Katherine was the most responsive, friendliest, and most flexible. Her fee was very reasonable and she was completely upfront with us from the beginning on the cost. She even has the fees directly on her website, which for me was a relief.
Katherine was supportive of every choice we made. She cheered us on as we planned and calmed me when I started to get anxious before the big day. She was so helpful when I had questions on the mechanics of the ceremony and the layout and requirements. From the moment she arrived on the day of, I was relieved to know that she was there to guide us through.
Katherine is passionate about weddings as joyful celebrations and really makes you feel more at ease.
She is a very caring, warm person who takes her job as an officiant seriously, while still maintaining her personable disposition. I would recommend her without hesitation to anyone planning their wedding.” MH, August 2014

“I knew from the moment that I saw your smiling face, sitting inside that coffee shop, that you were a perfect match for us. Your sincerity and warmth during the ceremony will be a lifelong memory to the both of us. Thank you so much for everything!” JP, August 2014

“Katherine was wonderful to work with and could not have done a better job with our ceremony. Everyone commented on how beautiful and personal it was. Many of our guest thought we had known her for quite some time because everything said fit us so well.” KB, July 2014

“We were very pleased with Katherine. She was very professional, efficient and accommodating. Her relaxed and pleasant demeanor helped to ease my wedding jitters. She made the ceremony special and I can not thank her enough!” RB, July 2014

“She was a wonderful officiant! I am very pleased with her service and we had a beautiful wedding!” LS, July 2014

“Katherine is amazing. She was so supportive of & accommodating to what we wanted our ceremony to be like. She was sensitive to our situation/any needs that we had, & just made us feel so comfortable! I loved how she allowed us options to personalize everything to our taste. I really can’t say enough about how wonderful she is! HIGHLY RECCOMENED!” KM, July 2014

“Katherine was simply amazing! My husband and I wanted a ceremony that would work for both of us. He wanted religious and I wanted something nondenominational. Katherine worked with us to help develop a ceremony that would allow us to have a little bit of both. She stayed in touch with us throughout the planning and was always incredibly quick to respond to emails and phone calls. Katherine is also reasonably priced. Everyone who attended my wedding kept asking me where I found Katherine because they were so impressed with her. She not only spent time with my husband and I but also spent time speaking with family members as well. The ceremony was beautiful and Katherine was 100% helpful throughout! I couldn’t imagine my ceremony being any more perfect. She was quick to send in out marriage license, we were married on a Saturday and I had my official marriage license in my hand by Wednesday! I HIGHLY recommend Katherine! She is sweet, patient, and genuinely cares about the people she is working with.” AH, May 2014

“Katherine is the most wonderful officiant a bride and groom could ask for!! With 10 days until our wedding and our previous officiant bailing we found Katherine here and lucky for us she was available! We quickly met with her and she won us over immediately. She is so personable and genuine. She is totally open to doing the ceremony however you want but will give options and feedback if you need/want it. She is punctual both in person and via email and is always professional. She answered any question we had prior to, the day of, and even after the wedding. Our wedding day would not have been the same without Katherine as our officiant. We are both so happy that things worked out as they did and she was the one to share our day. Book Katherine today!! :)” -KM, April 2014

“Katherine did an amazing job!! She was able to work with us on a short notice and was willing to do whatever we requested to make our day perfect!!” -NB, March 2014

“We loved Katherine! Our service was amazing! She was so sweet and nice! She was very respectful to everything we asked!! I would definitely recommend her!!” -LL, March 2014

“Katherine was great from the very first email all the way thru the wedding. With her help we managed to get everything done in just a few days which was good since we only had about two weeks from the time we decided on the wedding date.She was always quick to reply. She is very personable and professional.” -S&L, February 2014

“Thank you for being so incredible. I actually find myself sad that it’s done, and one of the main reasons is that we are done communicating about the wedding. I hope we don’t lose touch.” -AJ, February 2014

“Katherine Edwards was the best officiant we could have ever imagined for our wedding!!! She was very professional but yet so down to earth and personal. She wasn’t just the officiant she became part of our wedding as if she was part of our families!!! We would recommend Katherine to any couple!!!! Thank you Katherine!!!” -PT, January 2014

“We wanted to keep our ceremony low-key but yet special, Katherine did exactly that! She was responsive, listened to what we wanted and worked with us to make sure everything was just what we wanted. She did a beautiful job at the ceremony! We would highly recommend her and feel lucky that we got her to do ours!” -MH, December 2013

“Katherine Edwards directed the rehearsal in an organized, professional manner. It was well thought out and planned and one of the most efficient rehearsals I have ever experienced. She also performed the service professionally but made it personal and sweet. I was extremely impressed with her services.” ~JG, October 2013

“Thank you so much Katherine! You did a great job from beginning to end! I really appreciated that you listened to us and incorporated everything that we had asked for. You were also very accommodating to our schedule. Our ceremony was beautiful and I am so happy that you were apart of it!” -GB, October 2013

Amanda and Pierce were married on a beautiful spring evening in May at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham. This is SUCH a cool place to get married… as you’ll see in their photos by Bronwyn Duffield Photography. And I have to say, this was the perfect fit for Amanda and Pierce. Their fun personalities shone through in all the details of their wedding day!

I admitted to Amanda the week before their ceremony that I had been looking forward to it for months, since my first meeting with them. We clicked during our meeting on a lot of subjects, but particularly Girl Scouts… an organization near and dear to both Amanda’s heart and mine!

If you know me, or read my blog, you know that handfastings are one of my very favorite rituals. I love the symbolism, and the history, and I love sharing that with guests who usually aren’t aware. I had a string of handfasting ceremonies in May and I was loving it! Amanda and Pierce chose to use 3 braided cords using their wedding colors: purple, green, and white. What I love about this is that Amanda braided little silver charms with special meaning to them into each of the braids.

When I arrived at the museum on their wedding day, I snapped the beautiful blue-skies pic on the left. Things were looking perfect! However, it wasn’t long before the sky turned into the second pic and we felt a few drops. I took a screen shot of the radar and sent that text to my husband. I was so worried the sky was going to fall out just as everyone got in their seats. Fortunately they weren’t far from cover under the reception tent, but I wanted Amanda and Pierce to have the ceremony they had dreamed of!

I have to give a shout out to their DJ Jim Unger of 99 Entertainment. He had the sound set up for the ceremony outside so I showed him the radar and gave him a head’s up that he may need to quickly move his equipment. He was so positive and kept saying, “it’ll blow over!” I thought he was crazy, but…. he was right! Just in time the blue skies returned and we were ready for the ceremony!

If you can’t tell from my face, I love a good dip for the kiss and I was surprised by this one! And I love that their photographer caught Pierce’s fist-bump with a guest on the way out.

Amanda and Pierce had their Maid of Honor and Best Man sign the license just before the festivities began. Guests headed to the reception tent where they were greeted by the cutest little dinosaur cake topper ever!

Amanda & Pierce’s evening ended with a picture-perfect sparkler exit and another dip! I love it!

I am SUPER EXCITED to announce that the Edwards family will be welcoming a sweet baby boy in June 2015! For this reason, I am not taking requests for wedding dates between April and October of this year. However, during those months I will still be “open for business” and meeting with and booking couples with wedding dates outside of April-October 2015. (For all those who wondered why I was only booking 6 months in advance for the last year and a half…. this is why! hehe)

The time between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s day is known as “engagement season” in the wedding business. And yes, it’s true that many couples choose this time, while surrounded by family, friends, and warm fuzzy holiday feelings, to take their relationship to the next level with an engagement ring. What many officiants know, however, is that it should be called, “elopement season!” For many of the same reasons people choose to get engaged between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day, many choose to go ahead and tie the knot.

On Friday, December 6th, I had one couple ready to do just that, and they took full advantage of the Christmas spirit! They got married in front of the town of Apex’s Christmas tree on beautiful, historic Salem Street. They chose the night of the town’s Christmas tree lighting, so the whole street was alive with activity, including horse drawn carriages, hundreds of people bundled up enjoying the lights and decorations, Mr. and Mrs. Claus make their rounds, and of course the highlight of the event, the huge lit up Christmas tree in front of the Chamber of Commerce building. The bride was a Gilmore Girls fan and described the scene as, “her own Stars Hollow!” I just loved that!

The ceremony itself was short and sweet, but shared bits of their love story and how they got to this point in their lives. The couple had grown children who were there for the ceremony and the whole family was bursting with love and joy. It was obviously a very happy occasion for everyone involved. The bride’s daughter-in-law surprised her with a beautiful bouquet of white flowers and rust-colored hypericum berries, absolutely perfect for the holiday event. And of course, their first kiss was sealed under the mistletoe! The family stayed after to enjoy some white wedding cupcakes in celebration, by the light of the Christmas tree. What a magical evening!

Are you planning a holiday wedding?

The holidays can be a budget-friendly time to get married if you’re looking to save on decorations. Many wedding venues including historic homes, bed and breakfasts, and inns will have already decorated for the holidays and won’t need anything else in the way of wedding decor. Even if you are decorating a venue yourself, plants associated with the holidays like poinsettias, fresh garland, and holly are typically much less expensive than traditional wedding floral arrangements. If you are willing to brave the cold, outdoor locations such as a historic main street lit up for Christmas, or in front of your town’s Christmas tree make for great holiday wedding pictures.

Having a string quartet or pianist playing classical Christmas carols before the ceremony is a nice way to set the holiday mood for your guests. Likewise, playing more upbeat, modern Christmas music during cocktail hour keeps the theme going, but gets guests ready for the party! This website has some great ideas for both traditional and modern Christmas music to be played during different parts of the celebration.

Happy Holidays!

I am an ordained minister available for spiritual, Christian, non-denominational, interfaith, and civil or non-religious wedding ceremonies. I am based in Garner, North Carolina and serve the surrounding area, including Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Apex, Clayton, Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs, Morrisville, Wendell, and Knightdale.

There is such an emphasis these days on buying local to help boost the economy. There is no reason why this idea has to stop when it comes to your wedding. There are wedding venues to suit every bride’s style right here in Garner!

The Historic HomeThe Rand-Bryan House is located on Highway 50 in Garner. You may have seen it, looking picturesque at the top of the hill, nestled among acres of Christmas trees. The land surrounding the house has a rich history, dating back to the 1700s, and the Rand-Bryan House itself was built in 1871. Renovations to turn the home into an event venue began in 2008. There are several locations on the scenic property – both indoor and outdoor – to host both your ceremony and reception. Tables and chairs are available for rent through the venue. The Rand-Bryan house and grounds can accommodate almost any size wedding! (For more information visit: www.rand-bryanhouse.com)

The Elegant Ballroom and GardensThe Hall at Landmark almost sneaks up on you at the intersection of Highway 42 and Cleveland Road in Garner. Hidden behind the enchanting structure are lush gardens just waiting for your dream ceremony! The Hall at Landmark also offers the Marie Antoinette Grand Ballroom and Napoleon Bonaparte Cigar Lounge. And to enhance the elegance of your event, gold Chiavari wedding chairs, white garden chairs, ivory or gold table cloths, and a French parquet dance floor are all available for rent. The gardens are a fantastic spot for wedding portraits! (For more information visit: www.thehallatlandmark.com)

The Green Nature Center
Lake Benson and White Deer Park are anchors of our community, hosting events and providing recreation for citizens year-round. They are also the perfect spot to have your “green” wedding! Many locations within the parks are available for rent, including the amphitheater at Lake Benson and the Nature Center and deck at White Deer Park. The Nature Center is a LEED Certified “Green Building” and has many environmentally friendly features, most beautiful of which are the 100-year old reclaimed wood floors that came from the homestead that was on the property before the park. Another beautiful feature are the floor-to-ceiling windows on three walls! Park staff are always on site during rentals to help. (For more information visit: http://www.garnernc.gov/Departments/ParksandRecreation)

I am an ordained minister available for spiritual, Christian, non-denominational, interfaith, and civil or non-religious wedding ceremonies. I am based in Garner, North Carolina and serve the surrounding area, including Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Apex, Clayton, Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs, Morrisville, Wendell, and Knightdale.